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The post-autistic economics movement (French: autisme-économie), or movement of students for the reform of economics teaching (French: mouvement des étudiants pour une réforme de l'enseignement de l'économie), is a political movement that criticises neoclassical economics and advocates for pluralism in economics. The movement gained attention after an open letter signed by almost a thousand economics students at French universities and grandes ecoles was published in Le Monde in 2000.

Terminology

The French term autisme has an older meaning than the English term autism and signifies "abnormal subjectivity, acceptance of fantasy rather than reality". However, post-autistic economists also "assert that neoclassical economics has the characteristics of an autistic child".

The pejorative reference to autism is considered offensive by some economists.

Response

The French minister of education appointed a panel headed by Jean-Paul Fitoussi to inquire into economics teaching. In 2000, the panel called for limited reform.

Articles associated with the movement were published in the Post-Autistic Economics Newsletter from September 2000. This electronic newsletter became the Post-Autistic Economics Review and, since 2008, has existed as the peer-reviewed journal Real-World Economics Review.

Several responses to the French students' open letter were also published in Le Monde. A counter-petition signed by 15 French economists was published in October 2000. Robert Solow adhered to the "main thesis" of the French students' petition, but criticised the "opaque and almost incomprehensible" debate that followed among academics. Olivier Blanchard published a response defending mainstream economics. Other notable economists, such as Steve Keen and James K. Galbraith, wrote elsewhere in support of the French students.

See also

• Humanistic economics
• History of economic thought
• Pluralism in economics
• Post-Keynesian economics
• Real-world economics
• Heterodox economics

References

1. Badiou, Alain (15 July 2009). "The post-autistic movement". Adbusters. Archived from the original on 1 January 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
2. "Le site du mouvement des étudiants pour une réforme de l'enseignement de l'économie" [The site of the movement of students for the reform of economics teaching] (in French). Retrieved 31 December 2016.
3. "Lettre ouverte des étudiants en économie" [Open letter from students in economics]. Le Monde (in French). 17 June 2000. Retrieved 31 December 2016 – via autisme-economie.org.
4. Alcorn, Stanley; Solarz, Ben (1 July 2006). "The Autistic Economist". Post-Autistic Economics Review (38). 2. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
5. Kay, Neil (7 September 2008). "The Importance of Words". Letter to the editors of the Post-Autistic Economics Review.
6. Monaghan, Peter (24 January 2003). "Taking on rational man: dissident economists fight for a niche in the discipline". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 31 December 2016 – via Iowa State University.
7. Raveaud, Gilles (2000). "The Fitoussi Report" – via autisme-economie.org.
8. ^ Fullbrook, Edward. "The post-autistic economics movement: a brief history" (PDF). Journal of Australian Political Economy (50): 14–23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016 – via Altruists International.
9. "Contre-appel pour préserver la scientificité de l'économie" [Counter-appeal to preserve the scientificity of economics]. Le Monde (in French). 31 October 2000. Retrieved 31 December 2016 – via autisme-economie.org.
10. Solow, Robert (3 January 2001). "L'économie entre empirisme et mathématisation" [Economics between empiricism and mathematization]. Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 31 December 2016 – via autisme-economie.org.
11. Galbraith, James K. (January 2001). "A contribution on the state of economics in France and the world". In Fullbrook, Edward (ed.). The crisis in economics: the post-autistic economics movement: the first 600 days. p. 47. ISBN 0415308976. Retrieved 31 December 2016 – via Post-Autistic Economics Network.

Further reading

• Fullbrook, Edward, ed. (2007). Real world economics: a post-autistic economics reader. Anthem Press. ISBN 978-1843312369.
• Komlos, John, ed. (2023). Foundations of Real-World Economics; What Every Economics Student Needs To Know (3rd ed.). Routledge. ISBN 9781000847895.
• Fullbrook, Edward, ed. (2003). The crisis in economics: the post-autistic economics movement: the first 600 days. Psychology Press. ISBN 0415308976.
• Jacobsen, Kurt (4 April 2001). "Unreal, man". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
• History of and documents from the PAE Movement
• Real-World Economics Review Blog

• Schools of economic thought